The invention is based on a motor vehicle having a lock with a movable locking element which can be moved by both an electric unlocking device and an emergency unlocking device. Preferred embodiments of the invention relate to a motor vehicle having a lock with a movable locking element, particularly a rotary latch, which lock, in addition to being equipped with an electric unlocking device for the locking element, is equipped with a mechanical emergency unlocking device for the locking element, the emergency unlocking device comprising a first pulling element which triggers the locking element independently of the electric unlocking device into a release position, in which release position a closing element is released which is fastened to a vehicle body part to be opened.
A motor vehicle of the above-mentioned type is disclosed in German Patent Document DE 44 25 423 C1. It is equipped with a lock which has a movable locking element in the form of a rotary or fork-type latch. In addition to an electric unlocking device for the lock, which is not described in detail, a mechanical emergency unlocking device is also provided which comprises a Bowden cable as the pulling element, so that the locking element can be controlled into a release position independently of the electric unlocking device. In this case, the Bowden cable acts upon a so-called detent pawl which can be swiveled and, as a result, releases the fork-type latch so that a closing element, for example, the closing pin, which is mounted on a vehicle body part to be opened, is released by the fork-type latch, whereby the vehicle body part can be opened. In the case of the known motor vehicle, a mechanism can be used for the emergency unlocking device, which mechanism has a lever which acts upon an operating rod guided in the closing pin.
It is an object of the invention to provide a motor vehicle of the initially-mentioned type, in which the mechanical emergency unlocking device for the lock can be provided without any major expenditures.
This object is achieved by a motor vehicle having a lock with a movable locking element, particularly a rotary latch, which lock, in addition to being equipped with an electric unlocking device for the locking element, is equipped with a mechanical emergency unlocking device for the locking element, the emergency unlocking device comprising a first pulling element which triggers the locking element independently of the electric unlocking device into a release position, in which release position a closing element is released which is fastened to a vehicle body part to be opened, wherein the electric unlocking device comprises an electric actuator which acts by way of a second pulling element upon the lock and, in the process, triggers the locking element into the release position, in that the first pulling element of the emergency unlocking device is coupled with the second pulling element by means of a connection device, and in that the connection device is situated on the second pulling element between the actuator and the lock.
Other advantageous features of preferred embodiments of the invention are described herein and in the claims.
Important advantages achieved by means of the invention are that the emergency unlocking device according to the invention requires only a pulling element, such as a cable control, whereby, in addition to the reduction of mounting expenditures, costs can be saved. It is also advantageous that already-existing locks can subsequently be equipped with the mechanical emergency unlocking device, which is easy to mount.
According to a further development of certain preferred embodiments wherein the first pulling element is coupled by means of its one connecting end by way of the connection device with the second pulling element and, by means of its second actuating end, is guided out of a vehicle body space covered by the vehicle body part to the exterior side of the vehicle. It is advantageous with this arrangement that the emergency unlocking of the lock can be actuated without any access to the vehicle body space covered by the vehicle body part and, furthermore, an emergency unlocking can take place from the exterior side of the vehicle.
If the emergency unlocking device according to the invention is provided, for example, for a vehicle body part which covers a luggage compartment, the first pulling element is guided along a wall of the luggage compartment and is covered by a covering part. It is thus prevented that luggage moving around in the luggage compartment during the drive triggers the emergency unlocking.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of currently preferred configurations thereof when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: